From PhD to Career Success

Explore how PhDs from a variety of different
fields navigated the decision to leave academia.

Get inspiring career stories and helpful advice delivered straight to your inbox!

Sep 102 min read

Editor-in-Chief of AMWA Journal Working His Dream Job

Name: Michael Baker (he/him) PhD: Behavioral Neuroscience, University of California - Berkeley, 1993 What was your main area of...

Sep 102 min read

Retired Writer Now Runs a Farm

Name: Kathy Spiegel (she/her) PhD: Pharmacology, Cornell University Medical College, 1984 What was your main area of research? For my...

Sep 92 min read

Scientist Has Access to Fun and Cool Lab Equipment

Name: ChiChi Xie (she/her) PhD: Neurosciences, Stanford University, 2022 What was your main area of research? During my PhD, I studied...

Sep 92 min read

Principal Scientist Runs a Lab Similar to a Career in Academia

Name: Teddy Yewdell (he/him) PhD: Biochemistry, Stanford University, 2015 What was your main area of research? I did my PhD with Aaron...

Sep 93 min read

Chemist Tackling Problems in the Renewable Energy Industry

Name: Sabrine Cypher (she/her) PhD: Inorganic Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 2023 What was your main area of research? My...

Sep 72 min read

Mathematical Engineer Enjoys the Startup Life

Name: Kaleigh Mentzer (she/her) PhD: Computational & Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, 2023 What was your main area of...

Sep 73 min read

Senior Scientist Works on Cutting-Edge Technology

Name: Sam Kimmey (he/him) PhD: Developmental Biology, Stanford University, 2021 What was your main area of research? My research...

Sep 62 min read

Director for Global Scientific Publications Prioritizes Family

Name: Dipanwita Ghose (she/her) PhD: Psychology/Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, 2013 What was your main area of research? For my...

Sep 62 min read

Medical Science Liaison Wanted Patient-Focused Work

Name: Nikita Francis (she/her) PhD: Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, 2020 What was your main area of research? I studied the...

Sep 62 min read

Founder Emphasizes Perseverance & Determination

Name: Bonnie EJ Maven (she/her/they/them) PhD: Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, University of California - San Francisco, 2022 What...

Sep 62 min read

Field Applications Scientist Connects Tools & Scientists

Name: Amanda Dossat (she/her) PhD: Neuroscience, Florida State University, 2016 What was your main area of research? In my PhD, I...

Sep 64 min read

Spectroscopist With Specific Advice for Women

Name: Phoebe Askelson (she/her) PhD: Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 2023 What was your main area of research? During my PhD, I...

Sep 54 min read

Write Full-Time for a Living AND Stay Involved in Science

Name: Jenny Hsu (she/her) PhD: Genetics, Stanford University, 2018 What was your main area of research? In my graduate research, I...

Sep 52 min read

A Cell Biologist Working in Patent Law

Name: Percy Griffin (he/him) PhD: Molecular Cell Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, 2020 What was your main area of research?...

Sep 53 min read

CSO Says There Is No Substitute for Experience

Name: Joe Arron (he/him) PhD: Immunology, Rockefeller University, 2002 (+MD from Cornell University, 2003) What was your main area of...

Sep 35 min read

Freelance Medical Writer Loves the Freedom of Her Job

Name: Samantha Santangelo (she/her) PhD: Molecular Biology, King's College London, 2002 What was your main area of research? Human white...

Sep 32 min read

Chemical Engineer Excited by the Private Sector

Name: Do Soon Kim (he/him) PhD: Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2020 What was your main area of research? My research...

Sep 32 min read

Specialist Leverages New Tech in Publication Development

Name: Marianna Johnson (she/her) PhD: Molecular Metabolism and Cancer Biology, University of Chicago, 2017 What was your main area of...

Sep 31 min read

Director of Open Science Gets Paid to Make Science Better

Name: Monica Granados (she/her) PhD: Ecology, McGill University, 2016 What was your main area of research? I studied the effect...

Sep 33 min read

Project Scientist Drawn to a Role That Extends Beyond the Lab

Name: Derin Mary Thomas (she/her) PhD: Radiation Biology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT University),Vellore, India What was your...

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From PhD to Career Success

Explore how PhDs from a variety of different fields navigated the decision to leave academia.

Get inspiring career stories and helpful advice delivered straight to your inbox!

Explore how PhDs from a variety of different
fields navigated the decision to leave academia.